Will reloading ammunition help you save money? In my case, that’s debatable! But here is why I reload my own.
by Leon Pantenburg
Price ammo anywhere and you’ll get sticker shock. The last time I checked the local Walmart, basic 7mm Remington Magnum ammunition cost about $40+ for a box of 20. The selection of bullet weights was very limited.
It has been many years since I shot any factory loads in my hunting rifles. My first handgun was a Ruger Blackhawk, six-inch barrel, in .357 Magnum. When I bought it, I was working on the Omaha Indian Reservation as a Volunteer In Service To America. I made $50 a week.
Then I saved up and bought a used Winchester 670 in 30.06. And the ammunition reloading addiction began.
Reloading was a necessity if I wanted to shoot much. So I bought a Lee Handloader kit, the dies and what components I could afford. That simple kit worked very well and I discovered reloading ammunition was fun.
Quick proviso here:
Be safe – wear safety glasses, don’t get distracted while loading and DON’T SMOKE during the process! NEVER invent a load by experimenting with a mixture of powders, or by adding or subtracting powder from an established load.
Reloading manuals are all over the internet – find the load that will do what you want and use it.
But IMHO, reloading to save money makes as much sense as taking up deer hunting for the sole purpose of getting cheap meat. Reloading can become an addiction. Before you know it, you’re experimenting with bullets, powders and loads. Any savings from reloading will probably be absorbed by you shooting more.
That being said, here is why I really enjoy reloading.
Plinker loads:
Shooting a lot makes you a better shot. You don’t need a full power max load to practice stance, sight picture, trigger squeeze and breath control. It’s a lot more fun ventilating tin cans when it doesn’t cost $2+ per shot.
Look around at gun shows and you can sometimes find deals on components. At one show, a gun shop was selling out. I blew my budget on primers, bullets and powders.
Reduced recoil:
Maybe you want to teach a youngster or beginner how to shoot, but don’t want to teach them to flinch. The reloading manuals are full of reduced loads that can change the teeth-rattling recoil of a center-fire rifle to a reasonable and pleasant experience.
Hunt small game with reduced loads – it will help you get familiarized with the deer or elk rifle before the season starts.
If you want to get really good with that deer rifle, create some reduced loads, and go squirrel or rabbit hunting. Familiarity with a firearm leads to greater accuracy and clean kills. I’ve killed several squirrels and rabbits with my 7mm-08.
Tailor loads for accuracy
None of my center-fire rifles have been accurized, but they all shoot very well. That’s because I got a bad case of reloading OCD and tweaked the loads until I found the most accurate ones. The right combination of primer, powder and bullet can make a world of difference in a rifle’s accuracy. But one rifle’s accuracy load is another’s “so what”?
My brother and long-time hunting partner, Michael Pantenburg, and I religiously check the zeros on our hunting rifles before the start of every hunting season. Naturally, this lead to an informal sibling competition to determine who could shoot the smallest group with a hunting load. Winner got a beer and bragging rights.
These 100-yard groups were shot off a bench from an off-the-rack Remington 700 in 7 Mag. The loads were tailored to the rifle.
One fall, I shot a witnessed 3/8-inch, three shot group with my 7 mag. My pet Remington 700 7mm-08 once shot a three-shot 1-1/4-inch 200 yard group. Do you need that kind of accuracy for hunting? Nope, but it does wonders for your shooting confidence!
Bullet variety
Factory ammo may not be available in the velocity and bullets you’re looking for. A bullet that will work well for thin-skinned deer, might blow up on the mud-caked hide of a tough old boar hog.
This buck was harvested with a Remington 700 7mm-08 shooting a 145-grain, Speer Grand Slam in front of a healthy dose of Winchester powder.
My home in Bend, Oregon is also the home of Nosler Bullets. You can often walk into the factory store and pick up some premium bullets for a song. Lewiston, Idaho is where Speer bullets are made. A hardware store in that town often sells seconds by the pound. Since my brother goes there frequently, Mike stops in and checks out what is available.
A reloader can use premium bullets to create an ultimate hunting load, tailored to an individual rifle.
Reloading is relaxing
I spend much of my day in a chair in front of a computer screen. Sometimes, there is nothing tangible to show for a lot of creative effort. (Can I get an “AMEN”! from the word smiths out there?)
Reloading requires concentration, a regular routine and some mechanical effort. When you’re done, you have created a custom cartridge tailored for your firearm. You can hold in your hand the tangible results of your efforts.
I love seeing the completed box of shiny, ready-to-go ammunition. (How long does reloaded ammo last? A long time!)
Reloading completes the D-I-Y aspect of hunting
I want to be involved in every aspect of a big game harvest. I knap the flints for my flintlock rifle. I’ll shoot from a deer stand I helped locate and set up. The animal will be field dressed, skinned and quartered with a quality knife I have researched and may have tweaked. The carcass will be cut and wrapped in my garage before I cook and eat the meat.
A reloader can get that same interactive feeling harvesting an animal with a cartridge that was created in the garage.
Anything that helps me extend my hunting season is enjoyable. With reloading, the final result is a viable product that will help me make a clean harvest when it’s time to squeeze a trigger.
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